STAMFORD, Conn. – November 1, 2017 – NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and XFINITY Series Playoffs continues this weekend with 19 hours of trackside coverage from Texas Motor Speedway, in Fort Worth, Texas. Race coverage from “The Great American Speedway” begins Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with XFINITY Series racing, and is highlighted by Sunday’s pivotal Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 race at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Following an electrifying overtime win last Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, Kyle Busch and the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota have secured a position in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race. Going in to the second race in the Round of 8 on Sunday, Martin Truex Jr. has the most points among the remaining seven Playoff drivers. With 4117 points, Truex is 67 points ahead of the Championship cutoff, followed by Brad Keselowski (4079), Kevin Harvick (4053), Jimmie Johnson (4050), Ryan Blaney (4047), Denny Hamlin (4045) and Chase Elliott (4027).

In addition to live television coverage on NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will provide comprehensive streaming coverage of this weekend’s NASCAR action.

NBC Sports Group kicks off its Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series coverage from Texas Motor Speedway this Friday at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with first practice. Coverage continues on NBCSN at 2:30 p.m. ET with NASCAR America. Qualifying begins at 6 p.m. ET, available on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. In addition, local coverage will be available on NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Chicago Plus, and NBC Sports Northwest. Saturday’s coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on CNBC with second practice, followed by final practice at 5 p.m. ET.

Sunday’s race day coverage begins with Countdown to Green at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. NASCAR Cup Series racing begins on NBCSN at 2 p.m. ET.

Olympian Ato Boldon (@atoboldon) returns to NBC Sports Group’s live race coverage this weekend, after making his NASCAR on NBC debut as a features reporter earlier this season. Throughout the weekend, Boldon will spend time with Alex Bowman, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s successor, and driver of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 88 Chevrolet in 2018. In addition, the four-time Olympic medalist and NASCAR on NBC reporter will explore the technological side of NASCAR, experiencing the iRacing simulators and high-tech advancements that give drivers their competitive edge.

Sunday’s Cup Series race telecast will feature NASCAR on NBCSN’s “What-Why Booth.” In addition to the traditional broadcast booth above the start-finish line at Texas Motor Speedway, the NBC Sports production team will utilize a second broadcast booth, to provide an enhanced cross-examination of pivotal game-changing events throughout the race.

XFINITY SERIES COVERAGE FROM TEXAS – SATURDAY AT 8:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

NBC Sports Group’s XFINITY Series coverage from Texas begins Friday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN with first practice, followed by final practice beginning at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. In addition, local coverage of final practice will be available on NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Chicago Plus, and NBC Sports Northwest.

Saturday’s race day coverage kicks off with XFINITY Series qualifying at 6 p.m. ET on CNBC, followed by pre-race Countdown to Green coverage at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Live race coverage begins at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Similar to NBC Sports’ “Inside The Glass” coverage during NHL telecasts, “On The Box” will take viewers trackside to experience a crew chief’s perspective firsthand. Leaning on his nine-year career atop the box, Letarte will offer real-time commentary and insight throughout the race.

To commemorate the 100-day milestone from the start of the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, Saturday’s race day coverage will also showcase Matt Kenseth and his No. 20 XFINITY Team USA Toyota Camry wrapped with the United States Olympic Committee logo.

Tonight at 5 p.m. ET, Alex Bowman and William Byron will join NASCAR America host Marty Snider, as well as analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett, live from the NASCAR Hall of Fame, in Charlotte, N.C.

The 2018 Hendrick Motorsports teammates will discuss their excitement and expectations for next season. In 2018, Bowman will serve as Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s replacement in Hendrick Motorsports No. 88, while Byron will move into Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 made famous by Jeff Gordon.

As part of NBCSN’s comprehensive coverage of the 2017 NASCAR season, NASCAR America will present a live show each week from the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Each live episode normally features an in-depth interview with a driver, and highlights their journey to professional racing. Wednesday’s show from the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be the second edition to feature two of NASCAR’s “young guns” and upcoming Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers.

Following a succession of exhilarating races and down-to-the-wire finishes in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs over the past three weeks, NBC Sports Group’s coverage of NASCAR Cup Series racing from Talladega Superspeedway, Kansas Speedway and Martinsville Speedway averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 3.52 million viewers, a 9% increase compared to the same three races in 2016.

Manager of aerodynamics at Hendrick Motorsports, Diane Holl will join Nate Ryan (@nateryan) on this week’s NASCAR on NBC podcast. A native of Guildford, England, Holl will discuss her non-traditional career path and her background with IndyCar, Formula One and NASCAR. The NASCAR on NBC podcast is available on NASCAR Talk, Apple Podcasts, AudioBoom, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher and podcasting apps. For more info click here.

Season two of Shotgun debuts This Sunday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. et on NBCSN

Season two of NBC Sports Groups’ full-throttled automotive quiz show, Shotgun, debuts this Sunday, November 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, immediately following the NASCAR Cup Series Race from Texas Motor Speedway.

Hosted by NASCAR on NBC’s Rutledge Wood, the one-hour show will invite contestants to ride “shotgun” as professional drivers put the pedal to the medal around Las Vegas Motor Speedway. As the cars race around the track and drift between obstacles, each contestant is asked trivia questions covering a range of topics from pop culture to geography.

Wood is joined this season by three professional drivers, including NASCAR on NBC reporter Parker Kligerman, Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series driver Eric Barron, and NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Chris Bell. Shotgun is produced by Profiles TV’s Bertram Van Munster and Elise Doganieri, creators of The Amazing Race.

In 2017, NBC Sports Group will present the final 20 NASCAR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR XFINITY Series events and select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events.

NBC Sports Group’s NASCAR programming also includes NBCSN’s daily motorsports show NASCAR America, coverage of NASCAR’s Awards Ceremonies, the annual NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as well as original programming specials. NBC Sports Group concluded the 2016 NASCAR season presenting more hours of trackside coverage and programming than ever before.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.